Cool Blogging by Sheela

No Rush to be a Mom

While Russian mothers have traditionally been fairly young, more and more women are taking a page from their European counterparts and delaying motherhood. 

Alberto, a 40-year-old Spaniard, is married to a Russian woman and is the father of a two-year-old son. When he visits Russia with his family and takes his son to the playground, he feels uncomfortable because he looks “too old.” 

“Parents are much younger here than in Spain,” he said. “It’s striking to see a 20-year-old guy walking a stroller with his wife. They’re a lot more limber, they have more energy, more patience and are sure to enjoy their children for longer than I will. It’s a shame that in my country you rarely see young parents.” 

Being a mother at age 22 or 23 is still common in Russia. Until recently, women who had children after age 25 automatically fell into the category of “older mother.” This is just one way society tells Russian girls they must give birth before age 30. It is scientifically proven that being a young mother is much better for physiological reasons, but it’s the social expectations that sometimes carry the most influence. Alexandra, a 29-year-old lawyer who lives in the Moscow suburbs, is getting married soon because she doesn’t want to become the black sheep of her family. 

“All my friends, my cousins and sisters are married and have children. They always ask me, ‘What are you waiting for?’ I can’t waste any more time; I’m almost 30! I’m getting married, and if my marriage doesn’t go well, at least I'll have my child,” she said. 

However, women like Alexandra